Sunday, March 16, 2014

Wood Engravings at the First Whiet House

In our upstairs hall are a group of four framed wood engravings of historic scenes of Montgomery, Alabama at the time of the formation of the Confederate States of America. These four wood engravings came from periodicals of the period. The size is approximately 9: x 10-1/2".

The scenes are: First, a view of Market Street (now Dexter Avenue) with the True Blues marching. The True Blues were the Montgomery Home Guard.

The second is a view of the Exchange Hotel in Montgomery with Jefferson Davis addressing the public from the balcony, presumably on the evening of February 16 when he arrived in Montgomery.

The third is a view of the Senate Chamber with Mr. Cobb presiding. This view shows the famed Senate chairs, one of which is in the First White House Collection, in the President's Study.

The fourth is a view of the Alabama State Capitol on the day of Secession. One can almost hear the clamor and excitement when viewing the scene.

There is also a lithograph of the Inauguration of President Davis in Montgomery, February 18, 1861, published in Baltimore in 1887 by Horn. This lithograph was issued a generation after the fall of the Confederacy, but was copied from wood engravings of the actual scene which had been published contemporaneously. The size of it is 21: x 28".

Won't you come and visit us at the First White House? We have lots more to share with you.